Vritra the Viper
by Jay990
Summary: Roanapur is in for another surprise as a new player enters the game, and he's out for blood. His background is unknown, but it soon becomes apparant that he's taking no prisoners as he walks the path for revenge, and unfortunately, Balalaika is the target
1. Hotel Moscow and the Snake

The Yellow Flag took on the same form with the usual crowd. A table with no gun was an empty table, and most of the tables had a card game of some kind going. Bao cleaned the mugs and glasses. He seemed to be in an abnormally happy mood, probably due to the bar being up to snuff again after a recent "accident".

The front doors creaked open and in the door way stood a teenage boy with a katana on his back. He took his time making his way towards the counter. As he did, he observed every inch and corner, making sure not to make eye contact, though not out of fear, but to avoid a fight. Occasionally one of the tenets would look back at him but none cared to bother the kid. Sitting down at the main counter, he waited for Bao to react.

Bao peaked at the kid for a second, and then looked back at the mug he was cleaning.

"We don't serve milk here kid. Get on outta here."

The kid looked at Bao in silence. It seemed as though the kid was glaring at him but there was no anger or irritation in his voice when he spoke.

"That's fine," the kid finally responded. "I'm merely looking for someone."

"I'm not an information booth. Go home." Bao responded, looking more irritated now.

"His name is Anton, he works for a woman name Balalaika of Hotel Moscow," the kid continued. Bao looked up from his cleaning not to Anton, but instead to Balalaika. "I figured that name would get your attention."

"I don't know how you're involved with Hotel Moscow but as far as I've heard Anton is no longer a part of it." Bao said.

In the back of the room, a man who had been sitting in the back of the bar alone suddenly stood up. The man was obviously drunk, swaying a little as he stood, and it looked as though he had not slept in days. He wore a suit that was unbuttoned, wrinkled and had a few stains on it.

"What do you want kid?" the man asked. Although he seemed drunk, he was able to talk just fine.

The kid peered back towards the man. "You are Anton?"

"Yeah, what's it to you?" Anton responded.

The kid stood up from his seat and turned to one of the men sitting near him.

"Would you mind standing up for a second?" the kid asked in a polite tone. The man merely growled and went back to his game. "I'll buy you a drink of any kind, on Anton of course."

"What?!" Anton responded angrily. The man, interested in what the kid was going to do, stood up and moved to the side. Anton began to march towards the kid. Taking his time, the kid moved his foot underneath the seat, and then set his eyes on Anton. When the kid felt he had a lock on Anton, he kicked the chair into the air then grabbed it. Swinging his arm back, he threw the chair into the Anton's face. The wood shattered on Anton, and as he tried to regain sight of the kid, he pulled a pistol from inside his suit. When he finally regained his sight, the boy was crouching on the table in front of Anton, katana already drawn and pointed at Anton's chest. Anton quickly attempted to shoot the threat in front of him. Just as he did, the kid thrust the katana through the barrel and into the man's chest.

Everyone looked shocked at the spectacle. As quickly as the fight had begun, it had ended.

***

"Kapitan." Boris said, entering the room only after making sure she was not busy.

"Boris, what is it?" Balalaika responded.

"A call from Russia, from Hibiki."

"Hibiki? I have not heard that name for a long time." Balalaika waved for Boris to leave, then answered the phone. "It has been a long time Hibiki."

The voice on the other side was a low, cheerful voice. The man laughed on the other side. "It certainly has, though as I recall, it was on your terms that we split ways."

"And you know better that anyone else why. Now, what is it that you need?" Balalaika responded, trying to keep the conversation short.

"Ah yes, well, it is in fact about the incident that caused us to part ways." Hibiki stated.

"Hmmm?"

"It's the boy, he's escaped."

"And tell me, why is that a problem for me?"

"He's been hunting for people, people who were involved in his capture and… enhancing."

"I don't see why that's a problem for-" Balalaika stopped a second. "Anton."

"Who?"

"He was the one who I asked to find you a subject. I don't need to worry though. When I found out that he went against my directions for that particular assignment I made him leave Hotel Moscow. He was lucky I decided to just let him leave instead of taking him out myself." Balalaika took out one of her cigars and snipped the end off.

"That's not why I'm calling you Balalaika."

***

The kid took Anton's wallet from him and threw it to the man he took the chair from.

"Also pay back the bartender for the chair I just broke, and then spend whatever is left on whatever you want."

_"As you know, Balalaika, the boy had no name when you first delivered him, at least he wasn't supposed to." Hibiki began._

"_Yes, I know. Although Anton is the one I sent to find what you wanted, I accept that I am partially to blame for him failing to follow directions. Do you still call the kid by his given name?"_

"You very impressive," a voice said.

The kid was making his way towards the exit, then turned to the voice. Shenhua smiled at the boy waving her kukri knives in front of her.

"Give me try, slash arm off before you even get to me." Shenhua stated.

"And what do I get out of fighting you?" the kid asked, observing the woman that was challenging him.

"What you want?"

The kid was quiet for a second then finally he replied. "A cigar."

"Aren't you too young?"

"Is this really a city that cares?"

Shenhua laughed. "You make good point. Fine."

"_No, we gave him a different name. One to match his enhancements." Hibiki replied._

"_And that name would be?" Balalaika asked._

"Fine," the kid responded.

Shenhua prepared herself as he reached for the katana attached to his back.

"_He is called…Vritra."_

Vritra launched himself towards Shenhua. Dodging between tables, he was like a snake in tall grass. Shenhua tossed throwing knives at him but missed each time. Soon Vritra was already in range of her. She swung her kukri knives at him but he slithered past them and around her so that he was directly behind her.

"_As you know, our company has been testing with human enhancing so as to make reflexes quicker and muscles more powerful. He is what we produced from our research. After all, the best test subject for that kind of research is a human itself, which Hotel Moscow generously provided."_

"_I still have yet to see how this impacts me." Balalaika said, opening her lighter to light her cigar._

"_Don't you see Balalaika? Anton may have delivered the goods, but you were the one ordered him to get them."_

Shenhua turned just as Vritra stopped the blade at her neck. She couldn't move. She stared into his eyes and felt as though the stare itself was piercing through her. Drowning in what seemed like bloodlust, she was unable to fight back anymore.

"So, where's my cigar?"

"_He's there for you Balalaika. And he won't leave until you die or he does."_

"_You underestimate me Hibiki."_

_Hibiki sighed. "I hope that's the case. Because before he left, he left a message for me."_

"_And what did it say?"_

"_Not what did it say, what did it mean?"_

"_Sorry?"_

"_Apparently you haven't read on any happenings in Japan. The place where Vritra was being held, everyone who was working there, including the civilians, has been killed."_


	2. The Serpent in the Tree of Knowledge

"This your first time in Roanapur?" Shenhua asked Vritra. She held a lighter out to him as he put the cigar in his mouth. Vritra leaned out, leaving the cigar in his mouth, then took a couple of puffs. Leaning back, Vritra let the smoke slowly leak from his mouth.

"Yup, it is. I guess anywhere outside of Japan would be a first time since I've lived there for quite a while. Why? Is there something different about this town?" Vritra responded.

"You should know difference, especially if you live in Japan for most of life."

"I guess you could say I've been living in a cave for most of my life."

"Well, uh…"

"Name's Vritra, though a title I was given back in Japan was Vritra the Viper. Some find it easier to just call me Viper," Vritra answered.

"Well Viper, seems you been using blade for long time now." Shenhua said, gazing at the katana that Vritra was keeping next to him.

"You'd think so wouldn't you? No, I've in fact just started to use it. After leaving Japan I spent a while making the blade myself-"

"You make sword yourself?"

"Yup, with help of course since I had no clue how to make a katana when I left Japan. Luckily, I was able to find a teacher quickly. Anyways I finished this guy," Vritra began, picking up the katana to show Shenhua, "about two weeks ago."

Shenhua reached out to grab the katana then unsheathed it so she could have a look at the blade. "Very nice. It doesn't look like amateur work."

"I had a good teacher."

Shenhua smiled then handed Vritra his katana.

"Hmmm, something funny?"

"No funny. Just… you first person no asking about bad English."

"Should I? I just figured that you had your reasons, and it was none of my business asking."

"You not belong here, yes? Not right mind for it."

"Really? I think I could get used to living here."

"Where you staying?"

"No clue, I just got in town. Is it difficult to find a place in Roan?"

"Roan?"

"Roanapur."

"Hmmm, there is Church of Violence."

"There's a place that worships violence. Man, organized religion really has fallen quite a ways hasn't it? But I like the sound of it."

Shenhua laughed a little. "No, it not like that. You can stay there, but…"

"But?"

"It will most likely cost. Money grubby bastards."

"Oh, so it's just a matter of money. That's fine. I grabbed some from where I lived in Japan."

"You not understand, they very greedy."

"So was I. Now," Vritra said, putting out his finished cigar, "where can I find this Church of Violence?"

***

"You called Kapitan?" Boris asked with two men behind him, one on his right and the other on his left.

Balalaika breathed out the smoke from her cigar slowly then looked up at Boris.

"It seems trouble has come to Roanapur again. And like the twins, this one seems to be out for my blood."

Boris remembered the twins and the trouble they caused for the city, and then shuddered at the thought of someone like them being in the city again. The twins had caused panic throughout Roanapur and had even taken out some of their comrades in order to draw Balalaika out into the open. It was not hard to get rid of them once they showed themselves but they had shaken the stability in the city, at least any stability Roanapur already had.

"Do you know who is after you?" Boris inquired.

"Yes. A teenage boy who is known as Vritra the Viper."

"What do you want us to do about him?"

Balalaika paused for a second then smiled. "Usually I do not play the honorable role, however I would like to test out his skills for myself. A big deal was made about this kid and I want to see if it was worth it."

"Kapitan?"

"Find out where he is. Ask in a way that it seems more as if we have friendly business with him. I don't want anyone trying to get involved with this. Then, when you find him, I want you to bring him to me. Or I suppose I should more of say lead him to me."

"I don't understand."

"In other words I will have "a word" with him, alone."

"What?"

"As I said, I wish to experience his skills for myself."

"But Kapitan-"

"No arguments Boris. This is the way I want it."

Boris began to argue when he saw the sternness in her eyes. She wasn't going to back down. Boris straightened out.

"Kapitan!"

***

Vritra began to walk up the hill towards what looked like an ordinary church. For the name being the Church of Violence, it looked peaceful. It had the usual look of a church. But soon it lost its peaceful nature from a thunder sounding from one of its windows.

Vritra launched himself to the side then began swerving as he noticed the thunder was continuous. Someone was shooting at him with a machine gun. Vritra slithered side to side like a snake, making his way towards the source of the shooting.

"Rico what are you doing?" Eda said, plugging her ears as she got closer to him.

"Oh, big sis! Just having some target practice."

Now close to him, Eda punched Rico in the back of the head. Rico stopped shooting to rub the back of his head.

"How many times have I told you to call me sister!? And on top of that why are shooting at a potential customer?"

"It was just a snake probably. No one comes here this late at night without meaning to cause trouble for us."

Eda, about to respond, suddenly became more serious and pointed her gun at the window. Quickly Rico noticed a coldness In the air and slowly looked to the side to see a blade pointed at his neck. Vritra had not only lived without being hit once, but was now in the perfect position to thrust his blade through Rico's neck. Looking into Vritra's eyes, Rico began to shiver with fear. It felt as though he was being pulled into a cold abyss, and though he felt he could easily escape it merely by looking away, he also felt that his eyes were locked into Vritra's pupils.

"That," Eda began, seemingly also being pierced by his gaze, "is one big snake."

***

"Well, Viper is it?" Yolanda asked.

"One of the names I'm called by, yes." Vritra answered.

"You do realize that we are going to add more to the cost since you've come so late at night."

"Understandable I suppose."

Vritra reached into his leather coat and pulled out a checkbook. Setting the book on the table, he reached into the other side of his coat and pulled out a paper with numbers written on it.

"Do you have a pen?

Yolanda looked to Eda and as if she already knew that he was going to ask for one, she had one out and held it towards Yolanda. Yolanda grabbed the pen from Eda and handed it to Vritra. Vritra wrote down some things on the check then occasionally looked at the piece of paper. Vritra then ripped out the check then handed it to Yolanda.

"This much should do I'd guess. Just make sure to cash it as soon as you can. It's not exactly my account, but they owe me this much, if not more." Vritra said.

Yolanda looked at the check then showed Eda the check. Eda straightened out her pink sunglasses to look at it.

"One million yen! Who exactly did you get this bank account number from?" Eda said in surprise.

"Doesn't much of matter, does it?" Vritra asked.

"Does it belong to anyone we should be worried about?" Yolanda asked before Eda could talk again.

"Just a researcher named Hibiki. He works with the Russian Mafia but they wouldn't bother with anyone who steals from his bank account. Especially when it seems to be his own fault for letting his bank account number slip."

Yolanda took a sip of tea then sighed. "Very well. How long will you be staying here?"

"Just for a day. I just wanted to rest before finishing business in Roan."

"Roan?"

"Roanapur."

"Okay, but this much for just one day?"

"Let's just say I have something against Hibiki, and this will just help with my revenge even more."

"Well, even so, you will be required to wear priest robes during your stay here."

"Fine with me, it's your church after all."

"Eda, go show him to where he will be staying and get him some robes to wear."

Eda sighed then walked towards the door.

"Well hurry up kid, I'm getting tired and you wouldn't want to deal with me while I'm tired."


End file.
